Commute From The Woodlands To Downtown?

[Houston19514]

Good summary 27, but I must make one correction: You give at least an incorrect impression by saying that "most of these outlying that are incorporated also have more deed restrictions" at least implying that the outlying incorporated areas have more deed restrictions than outlying unincorporated areas. That is is not true. The deed restrictions are put in place by subdivision and planned community developers, not by the cities.

For example:

The Woodlands, unincorporated, HEAVY deed restrictions

Kingwood, incorporated, HEAVY deed restrictions

Atascocita, unincorporated, Heavy deed restrictions

Humble, incorporated, very mixed. Most areas probably not heavily deed restricted

The apartment is your best bet, so that you can explore and find what suites you.

Also, have you ever lived anywhere down here in the south? If not, you might be surprised that all the whining about the heat isn't unfounded. You can't say I didn't warn you...

Ps - I would look at not only the Woodlands to the north, but also:

NE - Kingwood (inside Houston city limits), Humble (incorporated), & Atascocita (unincorporated)

SE - Clearlake (inside Houston city limits) (I don't know the other nice areas down there )

S - Pearland or Friendswood (both individually incorporated suburbs)

SW - Sugarland & Missouri City (both individually incorporated suburbs)

W - Katy (incorporated), Cinco Ranch, Lakemont or Kelliwood (all unicorporated)

NW - Tomball (incorporated), Fairfield (unincorporated), or Jersey Village (incorporated)

I mention incorporated vs unincorporated for tax & police/fire/ems purposes. Here, living in an incorporated area generally (not always - but about 90% of the time) brings lower taxes & better police/fire/ems. Most of these outlying suburbs that are incorporated also have more strict deed restrictions, giving the neighborhood a more sterile look too. The school districts are divided a little different. None of the areas I listed have bad schools though.

Good Luck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Parrothead]

Hi Observer,

Congrats on your pending move to Houston. We have a lot of folks that like to brag about our famous heat and 'squitos. Pay no attention, you will learn soon enough that there is nothing to brag about, it just plain sucks. It gets hot from around the end of May to the beginning of October; when I say hot, I mean temps above 90F and humidity about the same. Everyone here has central a/c in their homes and their cars and inground pools are very common. We have a few days in August that the mercury can go above the 100F mark. It really isn't that bad because you do everything in your car, your office, or your house on those days. As far as the mosquitos go, yeah, they can be a pain, no pun intended. Avoid being outside early in the morning and at dusk--they are most active during those times. It doesn't matter where you live, north, south, east, west...they will find you. They are a part of Houston and despite all the mosquito trucks out and about during the summer, they still manage to survive. The only times the bites slow down is if we have a hard enough freeze during the winter...and we really only had a few good nights of below 32F this past winter for a substantial amount of time, so chances are you'll be reaching for the Avon Skin-So-Soft (it's great for avoiding mosquitoes) or the OFF! spray.

Either way, your most recent question seems to have gotten lost in the wake of everyone telling you where you need to live. So, I am going to answer your question about apartments in the area in which you would like to live, which is apparently near or in The Woodlands.

I would also recommend that you check out the lovely Woodlands Express, which is a very nice Park-n-Ride service where you drive your car to a common lot, lock it and leave it, and take a very nice, comfy, plush bus into downtown. According to their website, it takes an hour to get downtown. You can find out more by going to: The Woodlands Express

The following apartments are *in* The Woodlands:

The Park at Research Forest

Woodridge Park

The Parkside

Lake Wyndemere

Village Square

Grogan's Landing

Alden Landing

Whispering Pines Ranch

Timber Mill

Holly Creek

The following listings are for Spring, which is right next to the Woodlands off I-45 from Research Forest Drive south to FM 1960. The ones I list below are closest to The Woodlands.

Wildwood Forest

The Park at Northgate Crossing

The Park at Woodmoor

Woodland Meadows

The Falls at Borough Park

The Mansions

Hope that helps you get started! Good luck!!

[Observer]

I am going to answer your question about apartments in the area in which you would

like to live, which is apparently near or in The Woodlands.

I would also recommend that you check out the lovely Woodlands Express, which is a

very nice Park-n-Ride service where you drive your car to a common lot, lock it and

leave it, and take a very nice, comfy, plush bus into downtown.  According to their

website, it takes an hour to get downtown.  You can find out more by going to:

The Woodlands Express

The following apartments are *in* The Woodlands:

The Park at Research Forest

...

Hope that helps you get started!  Good luck!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow, thanks for that list!

These three apartment complexes look very interesting:

Woodridge Park

http://www.apartmentguide.com/Property/pho...qsSFlg=&lk=phTb

Alden Landing

http://www.apartmentguide.com/Property/pho...qsSFlg=&lk=phTb

The Mansions

http://www.apartmentguide.com/Property/pho...qsSFlg=&lk=phTb

Any thoughts on these three? Woodridge Park looks like a Hawaiian resort

in the photos. Are they all about the same commute-wise into the city?

You guys have all been extremely helpful, thanks so much!

[kzseattle]

Wow, thanks for that list!

These three apartment complexes look very interesting:

Woodridge Park

http://www.apartmentguide.com/Property/pho...qsSFlg=&lk=phTb

Alden Landing

http://www.apartmentguide.com/Property/pho...qsSFlg=&lk=phTb

The Mansions

http://www.apartmentguide.com/Property/pho...qsSFlg=&lk=phTb

Any thoughts on these three?  Woodridge Park looks like a Hawaiian resort

in the photos.  Are they all about the same commute-wise into the city?

You guys have all been extremely helpful, thanks so much!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

About Hawiiann resort... Coming from NYC, pretty much any nice apartment complex in Houston would look like a Hawiian resort. Many have them have done lavish landscaping around pool area. Compared to NYC, they are newer and larger too. And, of course, you can actually afford to live in them.

[f95kai]

Wow, thanks for that list!

These three apartment complexes look very interesting:

Woodridge Park

http://www.apartmentguide.com/Property/pho...qsSFlg=&lk=phTb

Alden Landing

http://www.apartmentguide.com/Property/pho...qsSFlg=&lk=phTb

The Mansions

http://www.apartmentguide.com/Property/pho...qsSFlg=&lk=phTb

Any thoughts on these three?  Woodridge Park looks like a Hawaiian resort

in the photos.  Are they all about the same commute-wise into the city?

You guys have all been extremely helpful, thanks so much!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of those three, Woodbridge Park has by far the best location: The Mansions is nice and new, but right on the freeway feeder. Alden Landing is in the back of the Woodlands, far away from anything.

[bachanon]

say "no" to the mansions. the road noise is horrible and the property owner has built several HUGE double sided billboards right over some of the units. the complex is an eyesore.

the new "boardwalk" on the woodlands waterway will be, by far, one of the best new complexes in this area. however, they will not be completed until year's end.

[Parrothead]

Wow, that's too bad about The Mansions, because they have the best interiors I have ever seen, including a lot of places inside the loop! Ugh, though, road noise sucks.

They are all very close in relation to what your commute would be. Woodridge Park is actually about a half a mile from the Sawdust Road Park & Ride Facility for the Woodlands Express. Something to consider.

Alden Landing is beautiful but off VERY busy 242. If you were to move there, I would HIGHLY suggest the Park & Ride because exiting 242 in rush hour traffic is a nightmare. I know this because my sister lives in Alden Bridge, just past those apartments, and it's hellish trying to get to her place for dinner.

The Boardwalk sounds wonderful and being by the Waterway would be not just awesome but convenient for commuting either by car or Park & Ride. Observer, I can't remember when you said you were going to move, but if it's longer than the next 9 months or so maybe that would be worth looking into.

[bachanon]

a co-worker of mine recently told me that alden bridge is like "pleasantville". hundreds of kids ride their bikes to school and many people use the hike and bike trails (more than the rest of the woodlands). it seems that each village has it's own personality.

[Parrothead]

You are so right. I think that is why we love the Woodlands. Kingwood was like that for us growing up, we called it "The Bubble". Nothing bad ever happened in The Bubble for us. Of course, there were repercussions for that, a lot like in the movie when we kids realized what kind of world was out there "past main street". It's funny how we migrate back to what is so familiar. Like ducks.

[YakuzaIce]

Regarding the mosquitoes, is it just me, or during last summer did we have very few mosquitoes. During August I was sometimes outside for at leat 5-6 hours a day doing things in the yard, fixing stuff, etc.. and recalling on that I do not remember many mosquitoes.

Maybe it was just me because I remember some people complaining about them while none were biting me.

[Observer]

Well, we have just returned from a visit to the Houston area.

Thank you all for the advice and great info, we printed it out and

brought it along!

We looked at The Woodlands, and actually didn't like the feel of that

community. It's hard to explain, but it seemed fake, like too much of a

good thing. It didn't feel 'high end' to us at all, but more like being at

DisneyWorld, where everything is artificial. Some may find this community

appealing, but we just didn't like the vibe.

We looked at Sugar Land (First Colony), and really liked the area. Nice

tree-lined streets, and homes ranging from $325K to $4+ million. The

town also regulates retailer signage, like the Woodlands, but in a more

sensible way, IMHO. This community had a high end feel (with 10,000

SQ FT mansions lining Palm Royale Blvd), yet also had reasonably-priced

homes in the $300K+ range.

The commute to downtown via 59 would be around 45 minutes, which

is less than a Woodlands commute.

The First Colony area schools (Commonwealth/Fort Settlement/Clements)

are apparently very good, which is critical to us.

We also headed out a few more miles on 59 to Greatwood, and

found some very nice newer homes (2001 to 2005 built) in a similar

price range ($350K+), but we hear the schools are not that great in

Greatwood. Is this correct? This area had the nicest homes we looked

at, but that school issue is a show stopper.

We also briefly looked at Clear Lake, for its proximity to the gulf, but this

commute to downtown would be brutal, and we could smell the refinery

fumes every few minutes.

[kzseattle]

Well, we have just returned from a visit to the Houston area.

Thank you all for the advice and great info, we printed it out and

brought it along!

We looked at The Woodlands, and actually didn't like the feel of that

community.  It's hard to explain, but it seemed fake, like too much of a

good thing.  It didn't feel 'high end' to us at all, but more like being at

DisneyWorld, where everything is artificial.  Some may find this community

appealing, but we just didn't like the vibe.

We looked at Sugar Land (First Colony), and really liked the area.  Nice

tree-lined streets, and homes ranging from $325K to $4+ million.  The

town also regulates retailer signage, like the Woodlands, but in a more

sensible way, IMHO.  This community had a high end feel (with 10,000

SQ FT mansions lining Palm Royale Blvd), yet also had reasonably-priced

homes in the $300K+ range.

The commute to downtown via 59 would be around 45 minutes, which

is less than a Woodlands commute.

The First Colony area schools (Commonwealth/Fort Settlement/Clements)

are apparently very good, which is critical to us.

We also headed out a few more miles on 59 to Greatwood, and

found some very nice newer homes (2001 to 2005 built) in a similar

price range ($350K+), but we hear the schools are not that great in

Greatwood.  Is this correct?  This area had the nicest homes we looked

at, but that school issue is a show stopper.

We also briefly looked at Clear Lake, for its proximity to the gulf, but this

commute to downtown would be brutal, and we could smell the refinery

fumes every few minutes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you sure you arent mixing Sugarland and Woodlands? Your descriptions of Woodlands and Sugarland seem reversed. All the trees and vegetation that you find in Woodlands are natural whereas those in Sugarland are planted. In this sense, Sugarland is more artificial than Woodlands. Moreover, Woodlands has tried to ensure that homes in different sections are architecturally different from one another. Therefore, there is a large variety of homes ranging from townhomes and patio homes to impressive mansions. You find wood-frame homes, brick homes, stucco homes and so on. In contrast, I find less variety among homes in Sugarland. Again, that seems more fake to me.

I am not sure which villages in Woodlands you visited. However, it seems that you may be comparing cheaper sections in Woodlands to high-end homes in Sugarland. In Woodlands, the most expensive homes are inside the village of Carlton Woods. They start at 700K and go up to a few millions. Those homes are huge! Sections close to Carlton Woods are less "expensive" as they start at 400K and up and they are nice! The golf courses and the lake are also lined with million-dollar homes.

*However*, Woodlands in general is more expensive than Sugarland and Greatwood because the land is more expensive. So, for a given price of, say, 300K, you would find a larger home with more standard features in Greatwood than in Woodlands. I think that homes in Woodlands are probably 40-50K more expensive.

Dont get me wrong. Sugarland is nice too. However. to say that Woodlands is less high-end than Sugarland or that the former seems more artifcial than the latter do not appear to me as correct statements.

[MaxConcrete]

The commute to downtown via 59 would be around 45 minutes, which

is less than a Woodlands commute.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My suspicion is that there is no way you will get downtown in 45 minutes at rush hour, unless you are using the HOV. I'm not up-to-date on traffic trends, but I'm thinking it could take much longer than 45 minutes, so I would advise you to get some first-hand info. The main advantage of the Woodlands is that they have the Hardy Toll Road, but there is no toll relief valve on US 59.

I used to live in the apartment complex at Oyster Creek and the freeway (in fact, you can see my old building from the freeway). I worked in Sugar Land but I freqently went to Shepherd and 59, which in those days was a happening night-spot area called Shepherd Plaza. (Houston just hasn't been the same since the demise of Shepherd Plaza.) With no traffic I knew I could get to the Shepherd exit in exactly 19 minutes.

As a plus to keep traffic from building on US 59, work will begin this year on the upgrading of the remaining sections of US 90A to a "superstreet", eliminating all traffic lights between 59 and Loop 610. The Fort Bend Parkway Tollway may also pull some traffic off US 59.

[Observer]

Are you sure you arent mixing Sugarland and Woodlands? Your

descriptions of Woodlands and Sugarland seem reversed.

The First Colony area may consist of mostly human-planted trees, but

the town as a whole didn't seem 'fake.' We actually told our realtor to

leave the Woodlands early because we just didn't like the vibe.

First Colony stuck us as more 'normal' with stores and major chains

scattered around and not hidden (though they all had low-key signage).

As one drives through the Woodlands, all you see are trees -- hence not

a very 'high-end' impression. I'm sure there are extremely nice homes

hidden throughout the Woodlands, but one would have to search to see

them.

I'm talking about the overall feel of each town and not the available

homes, per se.

Compare with a drive into First Colony -- tree-lined main drag, nice stores

scattered around, and then there's Palm Royale Blvd with it's gigantic homes.

It just feels like a high end suburb.

Within 60 seconds of entering First Colony, we thought 'this is a nice

town.' For the Woodlands, we thought 'where is everything?' Just

endless houses and trees with a few scattered shopping centers, hidden

from view by trees.

We drove around in each community for many hours, so we've seen quite

a bit of each.

I guess it all comes down to personal taste -- we're from more of a suburban

environment, so First Colony/Sweetwater was more our cup of tea.

Also, all those trees in the Woodlands seem like a mosquito haven.

Different tastes for each, I guess.

We had high hopes for the Woodlands, but the remote/sterile vibe, and the

longer commute into downtown put it behind First Colony for us.

Also, with the massive building underway in Sugar Land around Hwy 59,

it seems a good bet homes will appreciate quite well there in the next few

years.

[Observer]

My suspicion is that there is no way you will get downtown in 45 minutes at

rush hour, unless you are using the HOV. 

From what we gathered, the commute would be 45 minutes or so. Do

you think it will be closer to one hour?

We asked a lot of locals about traffic, and they indicated that the trip

via Hwy 59 was one of the better commutes into downtown, and that

the commute would improve further still (due to various hwy construction)

over the next few years.

Anyone with specific rush hour commute times from First Colony to

downtown would be excellent.

I hear the commute from just a bit farther down on 59, Greatwood, is

currently a bit brutal, until the hwy construction there is complete.

[kzseattle]

First Colony stuck us as more 'normal' with stores and major chains

scattered around and not hidden (though they all had low-key signage).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, you dont have to worry about that in Houston. Just wait. You would see so many major chain stores and retail centers with massive billboards scattered around in this city, you would eventually wish that they disappeared

[yall_are_nutty]

I think the Woodlands isn't for everyone. However, It's definitely got a more high end areas than Sugarland, etc ($1million plus). But, it also has lower income areas, too. That was the original point of the Woodlands. I think the problem is that $350k doesn't buy much in the Woodlands compared to the other areas you're referring to.

[skwatra]

observer, i would guess the commute from sugar land would take longer then the one from clear lake right now. once they complete the construction on 59 this may change.

even during rush hour, it doesn't take more then 45 minutes from clear lake.

and i've never smelled chemical fumes here in 10 years, unless i head towards la porte/baytown.

but there's probably a lot newer, nicer developments in the sugar land area.

good luck in your search

[bachanon]

As one drives through the Woodlands, all you see are trees -- hence not

a very 'high-end' impression. I'm sure there are extremely nice homes

hidden throughout the Woodlands, but one would have to search to see

them.

when george mitchell envisioned the woodlands over 35 years ago the term "hidden city" was used as a description.

also, nature is an equalizer. the idea of the woodlands was for everyone from all income brackets to interact socially. town center was always on the boards, but i'm not sure the founders could have forseen the massive amount of interest internationally in the woodlands concept. town center has become "disneyesque", much to many old timer woodlands' residents chagrin.

the houston business journal posted a list of the wealthiest, most educated zip codes in the greater houston area. the woodlands, magnolia and tomball contained 4 out of the top 10. champions, in the 1960 area, contains one of those prestigious zips as well. one could argue that half of houston's brain power and residential wealth is out this way. sugarland was not in the top ten.

i was amazed that you found sugarland "not" contrived. hmmmm.

enjoy sugarland.

[kzseattle]

when george mitchell envisioned the woodlands over 35 years ago the term "hidden city" was used as a description.

also, nature is an equalizer.

[bachanon]

agreed

[Observer]

You guys are great, it's nice to see so many people who

like the Houston area so much.

Don't get me wrong, the Woodlands was nice, but it didn't have

that 'suburban' feel we're looking for. Hope I didn't offend -- those

were just our impressions after spending close to 8 hours driving

around the place.

I wouldn't agree that $350K doesn't buy much in the Woodlands,

as all the homes we looked at had 3,500+ sq ft, 5 bedrooms, a 3

car garage, 3.5 baths, and a built-in pool.

The homes we looked at in First Colony were essentially the same

specs -- the main difference was in the town itself.

As for commute times, now my head is spinning. I've heard

Clear Lake has a lengthy commute (over 1:35 if there's a stall

or accident, which I understood to be frequent), and others say

that Hwy 59 into downtown is one of the best commutes in the

city at about 45 minutes I don't know what to think anymore.

[Parrothead]

LOL, I thought the same thing, that you had gotten them reversed. To me, The Woodlands has much more subtle refinement, but you are right, everyone has different tastes.

Trust me, mosquitoes are everywhere here. I have lived in every part of this city and I swear, you can't get away from them. They stalk you.

Good luck with your house search!!

[skwatra]

As for commute times, now my head is spinning.    I've heard

Clear Lake has a lengthy commute (over 1:35 if there's a stall

or accident, which I understood to be frequent), and others say

that Hwy 59 into downtown is one of the best commutes in the

city at about 45 minutes I don't know what to think anymore. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here's worst case, 2003 weekday averages inbound:

South edge of Clear Lake, 21.5 miles

NASA 1 to 610, then 610 to downtown

7:30-7:45am 24:37min 37.9mph

7:30-7:45am 10:42min 33.9mph

36 minutes

North of Sugar Land, 15.7 miles

Wilcrest to 610, then 610 to downtown

7:30-7:45am 17:00min 29.3mph

7:45-8:00am 8:04min 55.1 (this time will be a lot higher right now due to construction on 59 near downtown)

24 minutes

South of Woodlands, 25.5 miles

Hardy Toll Road to 610, then 610 to downtown

7:30-7:45am 27:06min 45.7mph

7:45-8:00am 9:36min 30mph

37 minutes

note this is freeway to freeway, and averages in all days (accidents or not). so you have to add the time it takes to get to the freeway from your home, and the time into downtown after you exit.

this is all from transtar.

[kzseattle]

You guys are great, it's nice to see so many people who

like the Houston area so much.

Don't get me wrong, the Woodlands was nice, but it didn't have

that 'suburban' feel we're looking for.  Hope I didn't offend -- those

were just our impressions after spending close to 8 hours driving

around the place.

I wouldn't agree that $350K doesn't buy much in the Woodlands,

as all the homes we looked at had 3,500+ sq ft, 5 bedrooms, a 3

car garage, 3.5 baths, and a built-in pool.

The homes we looked at in First Colony were essentially the same

specs -- the main difference was in the town itself.

As for commute times, now my head is spinning.    I've heard

Clear Lake has a lengthy commute (over 1:35 if there's a stall

or accident, which I understood to be frequent), and others say

that Hwy 59 into downtown is one of the best commutes in the

city at about 45 minutes I don't know what to think anymore. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you sure you search over after considering only three communities? I am looking for a house too and have been to several of them. Did you check out Cinco ranch, Glennloach Farms and Sienna Plantation? I would suggest Kingwood too but it is similar to Woodlands so I guess thats out.

Sienna Plantation is very nice and quite close to all the ameneties of Sugarland. Due to Fort Bend Tollway, it may be a good bet commute-wise. It has pretty nice homes from TrendMaker and Coventry.

Glennloach is similar to Greatwood but I found it a bit nicer. It is close to 249 in the northwest. It is close to Willowbrook which is a large shopping area.

Cinco ranch is in West Houston, close to Katy Mills outlet mall and is in Katy ISD. It has tree-lined streets similar to First Colony. However, I wasnt too impressed with its builders apart from David Weekely. The commute to DT can be a problem due to I-10 which is a mess right now.

There is also Lakes on Elridge which is near BW8 between I-10 and 290. So commute to DT may be good. A few high-end builders are active in the community.

Also check out http://www.texasbest.com/newhomes/index.html. It has a list of severral other communities.

[UrbaNerd]

OH, and if you want new, high end homes in the First Colony area, check out Riverstone. (on Highway 6/University Boulevard, close to Lake Olympia)

The homes start in the 250's, and for 350, you can get ALOT. Homes there are built by Coventry, Ashton Woods, Emerald, Trendmaker, David Weekley, and a few custom builders. www.riverstonecommunity.com

[Parrothead]

kzseattle, I have to agree. I think Sienna Plantation, though in its "early" stages, has WAY more potential. But then, I am biased, because that's ultimately where I want to be, and frankly, 59 to me is a nightmare. Sienna is going to be an incredible Master-Planned community when it's done. The commute will not be beat by any of the freeways once the entire length of the Toll Road is completed by Harris County. It took me about 6 minutes to get from Highway 6 to Beltway 8 on the Fort Bend section of the Toll Road and once HCTRA finishes the remainder it is estimated that it will be another 3-4 minutes. Well heck, once you're there you are practically downtown. A breeze if you work in the medical center, that's for sure.

Observer, if you haven't yet checked it out, just go to http://www.siennaplantation.com

Also, go to HAR.com and do a search on Single Family Homes, use 77459 as your Zip Code and Sienna for your subdivision. Put in your price range and you'll see what you can get for around $300K, they have some incredible builders out there.

Good luck!

[blocked writer]

Did you check out New Territory? It is across the highway from Greatwood, but it is Fort Bend ISD. They also have have some beautiful homes that are newer than what you might find in First Colony.

[Observer]

Thanks for the additional info and links.

No, we're not decided yet, but during our week-long visit we found the

First Colony area to be the best fit... so far...

The actual move would be to an apartment first, then to a house, so we

will look further into the various neighborhoods.

How does the commute from Sienna Plantation compare to FC? On a

map, it seems quite indirect to downtown vs Hwy 59:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=3777%20Sienn...C0.241095&hl=en

We did in fact look north of Hwy 59 near Greatwood/First Colony and

found the homes spaced very close together. I think Houston (Texas?) is

shooting itself in the foot by allowing fairly large homes built so close

together (we noticed this in almost every development, including the

Woodlands).

An extra 10 feet between the homes in most neighborhoods would work

wonders, even if the homes cost a bit more for the extra space.

We've also been somewhat considering -- brace yourselves -- places like

Atlanta, North/South Carolina, Dallas/Plano, and I hear Austin is also good

for my industry (internet e-commerce developer).

Here's an interesting city listing:

http://www.kidfriendlycities.org/2001/majorranking.html

Houston did fairly well at #9.

We were initially drawn to Houston because of its good size, and proximity

to the Gulf (though much of the towns near the water appear to be in/near

industrial zones).

Our neighborhood goals are:

* Near a medium-sized city

* Reasonable commute (45-50 minutes)

* Good job opportunities

* Affordable real estate ($350K for 3,000+ sq ft)

* Good schools

* Close proximity to ocean a major plus

A friend also suggested Tampa, but I don't think the job market is

that great there...

Decisions, decisions...

[Observer]

One last neighborhood goal is: warm climate.

Winter stinks!